Cloth-folding apparatus.



No. 678,799. Patentedluly #6, 190|.. E. E. TERBUSH & E. R. WILLCUX.

CLOTH FOLDING APPARATUS.

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no. 679,799. 'Patented my I9, |991.

` E. E. TERBUS-H & E. HK. WILILIEM.

yEILOTH.FLDING APPARATUS.

(Application led Mar. 19, 1901.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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liliairnn trarne .trut rrrcn@ ELMER E. TERBUSH AND ELMER R. WILLCOX, OF PEEKSKILL, NEW YORK.

CLOTH-FOLDING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 678,799, dated July 16, 1901. Application tiled March 19.1901. Serial No. 51,952. (No model.)

To oZZZ whom, it may concern:

Beitkuown that we,ELMER ETERBUSH and ELMER R. WILLooX, citizens of the United States, and residents of Peekskill, in the county of Westchester and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Cloth- Folding Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to the piling of cloth in successive webs upon tables to facilitate the cutting of the cloth into patterns, and has for its object means for handling more than a single web and of securing unusual smoothness in the laying of the cloth.

The objects are attained by the means set forth in this specification and the accompanying drawings.

Attention will first be directed to the drawings, in which like characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

Figure I represents a side elevation of the device or ear, as it will be called herein. Fig. II is an elevation of the right-hand end of Fig. I. Fig. III shows the apparatus in perspective, with some details as to the car and cutting-table. Fig. IV is an end elevation of parts of the car and cutting-table, representing a means of moving the car. Fig. V is a detail showing how the ends of the cloth are held.

It will be understood that devices are used for this purpose consisting of 4cars suspended above the cutting-table, the Wheels traversing an overhead track, with the car hanging between the track and the table; but they are adapted for handling only a single web of cloth. This car, which we shall describe, may be used in like manner; but we give preference to the methods of operating the car herein shown in Figs. HI and IV. By these means we avoid the costly and unsightly overhead tracks and have free space above the table.

Figs. I and III show the car to consist of a base-frame d, having uprights e e and two platforms ff', the upper platform being preferably placed at an angle with the lower one for the particular purpose of aording plenty of room at the delivery end of the car for handling the cloth.

To the frame CZ, Fig. I, wheels c are attached by means of axles having bearings w fast to the frame. The wheels have flanges on their outer edges and may have rubber tires to avoid injury to the table and deaden the noise of their travel. They are adapted to move along the edges of the cutting-table a, as shown in Fig. Il, the tables being enough wider than the cloth to admit of this arrangement; butin applying these cars to tables already in use that are not wide enough to admit of the rollers traveling on the table we adopt the expedient shown in Fig. IV, which will be described farther on.

Upon the uprights c c' of the frame, Figs. I and III, a pair of rollers are journaled, the upper one havingits journal projecting from the uprights. Above the plat-form j" is a roller 1'-, and at a corresponding distance above the lower platform f is a roller j. On a level with the tops of these rollers are aprons m in', fast to the posts c and curving inwardly and toward the platforms. These aprons may be made of sheet metal. Suspended above the aprons are loops m" n m" n", that may be made of stiff wire and are swung upon pivots r r in the posts. They lie across the aprons in the manner shown. Similar loops n o n o are shown pivoted to the posts e e, the parts `n n being of larger diameter and possessing more weight than the opposite loops n n". The frame CZ projects beyond the posts c c and supports the two rollers Z 7e.

The operation of the combined devices of the car is as follows, reference being made to Fig. I: Bolts of cloth A B are placed on` the platforms ff. In operation the web from the bolt B will follow the course of the line a2, passing over the apron m, beneath the loop m, over the roller j, down against the roller Z, thence upon the table, the car moving in the direction of the arrow b. The web from the bolt A will follow the line a', passing over the apron m, under the loop n 077/", over the roller c', down against the web a2 and the roller Z, and from the rollerZ the two webs are deposited together upon the table. When the car moves in the direction opposite to the arrow b', the webs will assume the positions shown by the broken lines a4 ai. The cloth being held firmly at each end of the table, the moving of the car along the table causes the cloth to be drawn from the car. The pile of cloth c on the table may contain as many as two hundred thicknesses.

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The object of the loops n n, attached to the posts c, is to prevent more than one fold of cloth lifting at that end of the bolt. As shown, the Weight of the loop n offers some resistance to the passage of the folded end of the cloth, and without this resistance the tendency of the drawing of the top fold of cloth is to also drag at the next fold underneath. The loops resting on the cloth as it passes over the aprons smooth out the folds of the cloth to some extent and steady its passage over the aprons.

In Fig. II the broken lines l2 represent the cloth as piled up under the car between the wheels of the car. The car is shown in this figure without the web of cloth passing through it in order to reveal the relative positions of the several parts of the car-z'. e., the supporting-shaft at, the wheels c, the rollers, and the inclined platform.

Figs. III and V represent the means employed for keeping the ends of the cloth in place on the table duringits laying. Clamps 2 are secured to the table by means of screws 5. To secure the end of the cloth at the beginning, it is hooked upon the points 4 4 in the clamps, as shown in Fig. V. Such clamps are provided at each end of the table. In addition to the hooks 4 the clamps are provided with notches 3 3, which receive a rod l. After the end cf the cloth is secured upon the hook, as shown each successive layer is looped over the rod l, as in Fig. V.

To facilitate the securing of the fold by means of the rod l, We preferably run the car over the clamps and past them and accordingly provide the clamps with the elevated curved flanges l1 1l, in which are the notches 3 3. The car is easily passed over the clamps.

To avoid wasting table-surface'when it is desired to use all its cutting-surface, extension-pins 8 are provided for attachment to the ends of the table, as shown in Fig. III, so that the travel of the car maybe greater than the length of the cutting-table. The extended platform S is provided with angular hooks 7, that are inserted in rectangular sockets 6 6, secured to the end of the table a; but any convenient means for such attachment may be employed.

Vhen the width of the table does not admit of running the car on the tables edge, we place a track below the table-top, as shown in Fig. IV, and by means of eXtension-supports s s the car is supported above the table, as shown. Extension-pieces for the track may be applied in the same manner as is shown in Fig. Ill for the attachment to the table-top. In Fig. IV a short extension-piece as long as the height from the floor will admit of is shown at u as attached to the table-legs 9 9 by means of hinges c c.

For convenience in handling the cloth on the platform f the upper platform f may be made as in Fig. III, wherein it is shown to have its forward end resting on supports c4 on the posts e and to be hinged at its other end to a rail between the posts e by means of hinges l0 10. This platform may be turned back to the position indicated' by broken lines f by first throwing the loop n 0 to the position shown by broken lines at 0". A cleat g is placed at the lower end of this platform to prevent any possibility of the bolt of cloth sliding therefrom.

The car described may be provided with more than two platforms, one above the other, as shown, or it may be made with the single lower platform, the form of the machine being adapted to the amount of work to be performed.

In describing the car as adapted to travel on the table we do not mean to restrict ourselves to its travel on the surface of the table, as in Fig. I, but to include means for adapting the car to a track placed on any part of the table.

Ve desire to call attention to the fact that the only important point to be observed in placing the rollers j Z713 as to their relations to each other is that of having the bottom rollers l 7c low enough to deliver the cloth on the table without detrimental contact with other parts of the car. If the roller 1l were in the same vertical plane with the rollerjthat is, journaled directly in the posts the operation would be just as effective. The webs would join a little sooner in their movement together, which would not be objectionable.

Having described our invention, what we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

1. A cloth-folding apparatus comprising a frame on wheels adapted to travel on a track, platforms support'ed on said frame to receive bolts of cloth, each platform having contiguous to one of its ends an apron, a resistance-loop resting on said apron and a roller at the outer edge of said apron, a loop at the end of each of the platforms opposite the rollers, and a pair of rollers in the frame between which the webs of the cloth pass together to the table substantially as herein set forth.

2. In combination with a cloth-cutting table, a car adapted to travel on the table comprising a frame supporting a platform to hold bolts of cloth, a resistance-loop to rest on one end of said cloth, a resistance-loop and an apron at the opposite end of the platform between which the web of cloth passes, a roller at the outer edge of said apron and a pair of rollers in the frame whose bottom edges Will deliver the cloth on the table free from contact with other parts of the car, substantially as herein set forth.

ELMER E. TERBUSI-I. ELMER R. WILLCOX. Witnesses:

CHAs. MITCHELL, P OHAS. SHERwooD.

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